I'm coming, slowly sorting through the basement and parts pile. Will be bringing two frames (small diamond back roadie, 58 Tomasso) a complete bike Kettler city bike, and a huge pile of parts, including:

Like Poguemahone says, we'll be there. If you're looking at the floor plan to the place in the lobby, we're listed at O'Brien/Paczolt - and if we get the same spot as last year, we're going to be in the back of the hall close to the concession stand. I'm bringing four bikes (three road $125.00 Craigslist flips, 19-21" frames plus my Diamondback mtb), and a few parts. Definitely nothing particularly vintage collectible.

Weather update: Weather.com is talking an inch of snow predicted tonight for the Westminster area. Low of 18f, high tomorrow of 31.

Syke

"No wonder we keep testing positive in their bicycle races. Everyone looks like they're full of testosterone when they're surrounded by Frenchmen." ---Argus Hamilton

Swap wasn't too bad, although I had suspected this year would be better for buying than selling, and I was completely right. I did okay-- I basically broke even-- and I got rid of a bunch of crap from my basement. High end in parts sales was awful, and I basically gave away the bikes I came with. In the future, anything I can sell for under 150 goes on the local CL in late august. I'll probably just rent a small table at the swap from now on, bring a pile of stuff to sell, but mostly buy. Buying was good. Before the show opened, I picked up this for 375$:

I've got most of the group to go on it already, but I want to refurbish the Campy shifters first; plus I need to find a crank. This one will likely be one I won't mess around with, may even funnel some cash into the group or go modern.

I've always wanted one of these, despite their reputation for coming apart under larger riders. Back when I was commuting to work at the record store on my Peugeot, I would see these in the Nashbar catalog and lust after them in my heart. I always thought they looked cool. But as I moved into the vintage hobby, I steered clear, based on reputation. Whenever one of the local flippers found one, he'd be convinced he'd found something extremely valuable, and want way too much for it. But I swore if I ever found one for cheap, I'd buy it. After a very cursory bargaining process (I knew the seller and we'd dealt before, very cool guy) I walked away with this for 35$:

When I left to bargain for it, I told Syke to shoot me if I came back with it. For some reason, he did not. This one moved up to the front of the que today, getting brake levers and calipers (Modolo Mach 1), derailleurs (Suntour Cyclone MK II), bar and stem, wheels. Bottom bracket and crank should be on shortly, and seatpost is already on order. This build I go cheap, from the parts pile. If it's not too whippy, as they are reputed to be, I might source out a donor bike in time.

I really wasn't planning on more project bikes, but at least I didn't purchase any vintage steel. Oh, and my ape like reach afforded me a deal, because no one else can use these here Cinelli stems, 5$ for the pair:

In all, I'm okay with everything, though I'm changing some of the stuff I do at swaps from now on.

I got a couple of things I specifically wanted: a couple of king hubs, and a couple of my favorite bars. And a few things that I just could not pass up including a cool old Ringle MTB post, a nice Selle Italia saddle, and an eccentric ENO hub.

I road tripped with USAZORRO, but I was too eager to find loot that I did not seek out any other C&Vers. I kind of suspect one of you was selling an oddball Klein with flatbars and white saddle. Nice bike, but did not think I could find a worthy use for it.

I took along a Sun beach cruiser, a Trek 520 and a dept store 10 speed. I ended up moving the Trek and the cruiser. At the table, I unloaded a lot of parts that I knew I would never use, though I realized upon returning home, I left one box in the car that had 3 racks in it! Actually, the Trek sold before it even got moved and locked into the corral, so I could have saved the $5 had I known!